Two-piece unit package



y 1969 w. D. STOCKDALE TWO-PIECE UNIT PACKAGE Sheet Filed Nov. 9, 1967INVENTOR.

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HisAfffys y 13, 1969 w. o. STOCKDALE TWO-PIECE UNIT PACKAGE Sheet 2 01'2Filed Nov. 9, 1967 lOd H9: 7 26d 28d States Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A two-piece unit package including a container body having aradially outwardly directed flange adjacent its open upper end to whicha flexible lid member is secured, said container flange and lid membereach having a polygonal exterior margin which are related to each otherin such a manner as to provide a plurality of tear tabs from the lidmember which, along with the polygonal exterior margin of the flange,facilitates removal of the lid member from the container body.

This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No.621,864, filed Mar. 9, 1967, now Patent No. 3,390,766.

This invention is directed to two-piece unit packages which are of thesingle service, disposable variety, and which have been commonlyreferred in the container industry as portion packages. Such portionpackages have been used for quite a number of years in the packaging ofdairy products, jellies, ketchup, mustard and the like. In general,these portion packages have included such forms as flexible plasticand/or paper flattened tube-like devices incorporating various types ofopening means, a typical example of which is shown in US. Patent No.3,184,895. Portion packages have also been marketed in the form of acontainer body and attached flexible lid which is preferably heat sealedto a radially outwardly directed flange of the container body, thecontainer flange also being provided with notches at selected points tofacilititate gripping of the lid in removing the same from the containerbody. US. Patent No. 3,054,679 is generally typical of the two-pieceunit packages including a container body and an attached heat sealedlid. The present invention relates generally to this last mentioned typeof portion package wherein there is provided a formed container bodyhaving a radially outwardly directed flange at its open upper end towhich a lid element is secured, preferably by heat sealing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedtwo-piece unit package including a container body having a laterallyextending flange at its open upper end to which a flexible lid elementis secured, the container flange and the flexible lid element beingarranged relative to one another to facilitate quick and easy removal ofthe lid element from the container body.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-piece unitpackage of the aforementioned type wherein the container body and lidelement may be manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes, all ofwhich are capable of accomplishing quick and easy separation of thecontainer body and lid element from each other.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a two-piece unitpackage of the aforementioned type which is sanitary, economical, easyto manufacture and fill with an appropriate product, and is verydesirable for use by the consumer.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention areattained by the provision of a two-piece unit package including acontainer body having a bottom wall and a side wall extending upwardlytherefrom which is connected at its upper end to a radially outwardlydirected flange, and a flexible lid member temporarily united to theradially outwardly directed flange of the container body, both theflange and the lid member being provided with a polygonal exteriormargin which defines a plurality of sides and angular portions and alsobeing configured, arranged and dimensioned with respect to one anotherto provide a plurality of tear tabs from said lid member each extendinglaterally outwardly between closely positioned angular portions of theflange. The above described structure of the package facilitates removalof the lid member from the container body by initially concentrating thetearing forces along the one or more sides intermediate the closelypositioned angular portions and then causing progressive tearing of thelid member along the sides and angular portions of the flange as the lidmember is removed from the container body by a user.

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a two-piece unit packageconstructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the package shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the package shown in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 4-12 are top plan views of various polygonallyshaped lid andcontainer body flange portions which incorporate the principles of thepresent invention.

Referring first to the embodiment of the present invention shown inFIGS. 1-3, it will be seen that the two-piece unit package 10 generallycomprises a container body 12 and a lid element 14. The container body12 has a general octagonal configuration with each of the sides 16 ofthe octangonally-shaped container body 12 extending upwardly andoutwardly from a planar bottom Wall and terminating in an octagonallyconfigured, radially outwardly directed flange portion 20. The lidelement 14 is temporarily united to the upper face of the octagonallyconfigured, radially outwardly directed flange portion 20 preferably byheat sealing technique which are well known. The container body 12 ispreferably formed as a onepiece seamless thin Walled thermoplasticcontainer from various plastic materials which are commerciallyavailable, polystyrene being one preferred example. The lid element 14is preferably a flexible plastic film of transparent character which iscapable of being heat sealed to the flange portion 20 and also capableof being preprinted thereon with suitable indicia for advertising anddisplay purposes. It will be appreciated, however, that the containerbody and lid elements 12 and 14 respectively can be made from variouspaper, foil, plastic or any combinations in the forms of laminates andthe like, and such is within the purview of the present invention.

As best seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the lid element 14 has a squareshape, the maximum distance between any two opposing edges 22 of whichis generally equal to the maximum distance between any two opposingsides 24 forming the octagonal exterior configuration of the radiallyoutwardly directed flange 20. The radially outwardly directed flange 20,in addition to the plurality of sides 24, includes a plurality ofangular or corner portions 26 which provide a polygonal exterior marginin the form of an octagon for the radially outwardly directed flangeportion 20. The lid element 15 and the radially outwardly directedflange 20 of the container body 12 are thus configured, arranged anddimensioned with respect to one another, as best seen in FIG. 2 of thedrawings, to provide a plurality of tear tabs 28 which may be easilygrasped by a user in removing the lid element 14 from the container body12. It will be noted that each of the tear tabs 28 extends laterally orradially outwardly between adjacent angular portions of the flange 20 tofacilitate removal of the lid element from the container body byinitially concentrating the tearing forces along the side 24 of thecontainer flange 20 intermediate such angular portions 26. Thereafter,separation of the lid element 14 from the container flange 20 willconstitute a progressive separation or tearing along the sides 24 andangular portions 26 of the container flange 20. In this way, maximumadvantage is obtained by a user in first grasping and pulling on any oneof the tear tabs 28 which will have the effect of concentrating thetearing forces along one of the sides 26 and then cause progressiveseparation along the sides 24 and angular portions 26 of the containerflange 20.

It will also be appreciated that since there are no interruptions in thecontainer flange, to provide for grasping of a lid element as is typicalwith prior art constructions, there will be a broad surface contactbetween the lid element 14 and the container flange 20 in the portionsthereof which are temporarily united to each other, such as by heatsealing. Lack of interruptions in the container flange, together withthe polygonally-shaped margin of the container flange, will afford arigid container body structure in the area of the open upper endthereof. The above described arrangement also enables a user to graspthe two-piece unit package in such a manner that the tear tab 28 will befolded down along the sides 24 cooperating therewith to prevent anyfinger contact with peripheral edge portions of the container flangeover which extend the tear tabs 28.

The container body 12 may be formed in any desirable shape, as long asthe container flange and lid member are configured, arranged anddimensioned in the manner described above. However, for aestheticpurposes, the container may desirably be provided with a polygonalconfiguration corresponding to that of the container flange 20. Also,stacking facilities 30 may be incorporated in each container body toprevent jamming therebetween prior to the containers being filled andunited to the lid elements 14 to form the two-piece unit package .10.Various types of stacking features may be employed as are conventionalin the art, and a specific description thereof is unnecessary insofar asan understanding of the present invention is concerned.

Reference is now made to the other embodiments of the present invenitonwhich are shown in FIGS. 4-12 of the drawings. Each of the FIGURES 4-12represent a separate embodiment which will be described in relation tothe FIGS. 13 embodiment, and for this reason, similar reference numeralsare employed with various suflixes in alphabetical sequence beingapplied thereto to designate corresponding parts in the various figures.

In FIG. 4 of the drawings, a square-shaped lid ele ment 14a as well as asquare-shaped container flange a is provided. The lid element andcontainer flange 14a and 20a respectively are rotated or positioned 90out of sequence from one another, and the container flange 20a issubstantially smaller than the lid element 14a such that the diagonalbetween any two angle or corner portions 26a of the container flange issubstantially equal to the distance between any two edges 22a of the lidelement. Tear tabs 28a will again be provided, as in the FIGS. 13embodiment, due to the configuration, arrangement and dimensioning ofthe lid element 14a and container flange 20a.

Referring to FIG. 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that the containerflange 20b has a pentagon shape while the lid element 14b still assumesthe square shape as in the previous embodiments. Again, a plurality oftear tabs 28b will be provided as the result of the specific structuralarrangement between the lid element 14b and container flange 2011 as inthe previous embodiments.

In FIG. -6 of the drawings, the peripheral exterior margin of thecontainer flange 20c assumes the shape of a hexagon while the lidelement 40c has a peripheral margin which is rectangular inconfiguration. Thus, the lid element 140 in this embodiment is anirregular polygon since all the edges 22c thereof are not equal as inthe previous embodiments. The rectangular shape of the lid element 140is utilized in this embodiment so that the hexagonally-shaped exteriormargin of the container flange 200 is located within the confines of theperipheral margin of the lid element 14c as illustrated. This willprovide the plurality of tear tabs 28c as in the previous embodimentswithout there being any excess of material from the lid element 140.

In all of the previous embodiments, the lid element has either an equalor lesser number of sides and angles than the container flange. It willbe apparent, however, that a two-piece unit package may be providedwhich incorporates a lid element having a greater number of sides andangles than the container flange. This is illustrated in FIG. 7 of thedrawings wherein the container flange 20d is provided with asquare-shaped peripheral margin while the lid element 14d isoctagonally-shaped. The configuration, arrangement and dimensioning ofthe container flange 20d and lid element 14d will still provide the teartabs 28d as in the previous embodiments which will function inessentially the same manner as the lid element 14d is removed from thecontainer flange 20d.

In the FIGS. 8-9 embodiments, the peripheral exterior margin of thecontainer flange 20c and 20 respectively is in the shape of a dodecagonwhile the lid element 142 and 14 respectively in both embodiments issquareshaped. The essential difference between the FIGS. 8 and 9embodiments is that the container flanges 20e and 20 are positioned outof phase with one another. Thus, the container flange 20a will have fourof the twelve sides thereof in alignment with'the edges 222 of thesquareshaped lid element 14a. The container flange 20 in FIG. 9,however, has four of the twelve angular portions 26) in alignment withthe four edges 22 of the lid element 14 Thus, it can be seen thatvarious polygonally-shaped lid elements and container flanges may beoriented in a slightly diflerent manner from one another and stillachieve the underlying principles of the present invention. In the caseof the FIG. 8 embodiment, the tear tabs 282 extend laterally outwardlyfrom the peripheral outer margin of the container flange 20e between twoangular portions 26e which are separated by another angular portion 26cwhereas in the FIG. 9 embodiment, the tear tabs 28) extend laterallyoutwardly between angular portions 26 which are spaced from one anotherby two angular portions 26] located therebetween along the outerperipheral margin of the container flange.

Referring now to the FIG. 10 embodiment, it will be seen that thecontainer flange 20g has an outer peripheral margin in the shape of adecagon while the configuration of the outer peripheral margin of thelid element 14g is a pentagon. Hence, it can be seen that polygonshaving an odd number of sides may be configured, arranged anddimensioned with respect to one another as the previous embodiments toafford a plurality of tear tabs 22g which will function in the samemanner as previously described.

In the FIGS. 11 and 12 embodiments, the lid elements 1411 and 14irespectively have a peripheral exterior margin which is in the shape ofa hexagon while the peripheral exterior margin of the container flanges20/1 and 20i are respectively configured in the shape of a dodecagon andnonagon.

It will be apparent that those polygonal shapes having a larger numberof sides and angular portions will afford a greater number of tear tabs,and such is the case where the lid element has five, six or more sidesand angular portions as in the FIGS. 7 and 10-12 embodiments. Thepolygonal shape of the peripheral exterior margin of the containerflange may be varied to provide any number of sides and angularportions, including up to 12 or more, and this will increase theprogressive separation of the lid element from the container flange asit encounters more sides and angular portions when a lid element isseparated from a container flange. However, it should be recognized thata polygon may have such a large number of sides and angular portionsthat it is indistinguishable from a circle, and such is to be avoidedsince this will not facilitate the progressive separation of the lidelement from the container flange as is contemplated by the presentinvention.

The term polygon or polygonal shape as used herein is intended to coverany shape having a plurality of sides and angles which are three or morein number, but less than that polygonal figure which would generally beindistinguishable from a circle. It will thus be apparent that thepresent invention affords a wide range of sizes and shapes for thepolygonal exterior margin of the lid element and container flange whilealso enabling easy and quick removal thereof as described above. Incertain instances, it may be desirable to provide outwardly facingprojections 32 at the angular portions 26 as in the FIGS. l3 embodimentsor the other embodiments of the present invention. The projections 32will have the effect of further concentrating the tearing forces as thelid element is removed from a container flange.

I claim:

1. A two-piece unit package comprising a container body having a bottomwall and a side Wall extending upwardly therefrom which is connected atits upper end to a radially outwardly directed flange, and a flexiblelid element temporarily united to the radially outwardly directed flangeof said container body, said flange and said lid element each having apolygonal exterior margin defining a plurality of alternating sides andangular portions, each of the side portions of said flange and lidelement being substantially equal to other side portions of said flangeand lid element respectively, said flange having a generally constantradial width throughout the circumference thereof, the container sideWall at its upper end having a complementary polygonal configurationcorresponding to the polygonal exterior margin of the flange to alsoprovide a polygonal interior margin for said flange, the polygonalexterior margin of said flange and lid element being configured,arranged and dimensioned with respect to one another to provide at leastthree tear tabs from said lid element each extending laterally outwardlybetween closely positioned angular portions of said flange to facilitateremoval of said lid element from said container body by initiallyconcentrating the tearing forces along the one or more sidesintermediate said closely positioned angular portions and then causingprogressive tearing of the lid element along the other sides and angularportions of said flange as the lid element is removed from saidcontainer body by a user.

2. The package as defined in claim 1 wherein said closely positionedangular portions are immediately adjacent angular portions separated bya single side portion.

3. The package as defined in claim 1 wherein said closely positionedangular portions include both immediately adjacent and spaced angularportions of said container body flange.

4. The package as defined in claim 1 wherein the angular portions :ofsaid flange include projections which aid in concentrating the tearingforces of the one or more sides of the container body flange locatedtherebetween.

5. The package as defined in claim 1 wherein the lid element has lesspolygonal sides and angular portions than said container body portion.

6. The package as defined in claim 1 wherein the lid element has morepolygonal sides and angular portions than said container body flange.

7. The package as defined in claim 1 wherein the lid element andcontainer body flange have an equal number of sides and angularportions.

8. The package as defined in claim 1 wherein said tear tabs are capableof being folded downwardly against the polygonal exterior margin of saidcontainer body flange as said package is gripped by a user.

9. The package as defined in claim 1 wherein said lid element istemporarily united to said container body flange by being heat sealedthereto.

10. The package as defined in claim 1 wherein said container body andlid element each are formed in one piece from plastic material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,736,665 2/1956 Marshall 991713,021,001 2/1962 Donofrio 229-43 X 3,054,679 9/1962 Bradford 2292.5 X

DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner.

